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Mother killed, passenger, children recovering after crash with drunken driver

Mother killed, passenger, children recovering after crash with drunken driver

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Updated: 6:20 PM CST Jan 2, 2017

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WEBVTT TIMES.HERE'S MORE ON HIS PAST.REPORTER: WE KNOW THAT MAKER HASPLED GUILTY SEVERAL TIMES TOD.U.I.THE LAST TIME WAS JUST SEVENMONTHS AGO, WHEN HE GOT A10-YEAR DEFERRED SENTENCE.TONIGHT WE'RE HEARING FROM THEAFFECTED FAMILY.>> IT TAKES THE BREATH OUT OFYOU.IT STILL DOES.REPORTER: AMANDA CARSON'S BESTFRIEND OF 20 YEARS SAYS HERDEATH JUST DOESN'T SEEM REAL.>> SHE'D DO ANYTHING FOR YOU,YOU KNOW.SHE WAS A GOOD PERSON.AND SHE LOVED HER GIRLS MORETHAN ANYTHING.REPORTER: THE MOTHER OF TWO WASDRIVING HOME SATURDAY NIGHT WITHHER GIRLS AND AN 18-YEAR-OLDFRIEND.OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL SAYSTHEIR VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BYCRAIG MAKER, GOING 116 MILES ANHOUR ON THE KILPATRICK TURNPIK>> SOMEBODY MADE A CHOICE, AHORRIBLE CHOICE.AND IT'S...IT'S GOT THE WORST CONSEQUENCESYOU COULD HAVREPORTER: COURT RECORDS SHOWMAKER HAD BEEN ARRESTED AND PLEDGUILTY TO D.U.I. FOUR TIMES.THREE TIMES AS A MISDEMEANOR IN2010, HE GOT A SUSPENDEDSENTENCE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.A 2015 ARREST WAS A FELONY.THIS SUMMER HE GOT A 10-YEARDEFERRED SENTENCE AND WASSUPPOSED TO CARRY AN IGNITIONINTERLOCREPORTER: HIS FAMILY DECLINED TOCOMMENT ABOUT HIS ARREST.CARSON'S FAMILY SAYS THE GIRLSWILL NEED A LOT OF SUPPORT.>> WE'RE GONNA DO ALL WE CAN TOWRAP OUR ARMS AROUND THOSELITTLE GIRLS.REPORTER: TONIGHT WE HAVE PUTINFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN HELP

Mother killed, passenger, children recovering after crash with drunken driver

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A trooper clocked him going 116 mph on the Kilpatrick Turnpike just minutes before the fatal crash. Troopers said Maker rear-ended the vehicle driven by Amanda Carson. She died in the crash.

A 4-year old girl was treated and released from a hospital, and a 9-year old girl is still recovering. An 18-year-old friend, identified as Hu Huong, is still in the hospital, suffering from severe head trauma.

Tiffany Jaques-Brown, Carson’s best friend of 20 years, said it’s still hard to believe that this tragedy occurred.

“She was an amazing friend, mom, daughters, and she’s going to be missed by so many people,” she said. “We’re going to do what we can do wrap our arms around those little girl. Help to always remember their mom.”

Carson was driving home from visiting family that night. She lived in Yukon. “Somebody made a choice, a horrible choice, and it has the worst consequences you could have,” Jaques-Brown said.

According to court records, Maker was arrested three times for misdemeanor DUI in 2010. He pleaded guilty and received suspended sentences for each case, as well as community service and court fees.

In 2015, he was arrested for felony DUI. In 2016, just seven months before the deadly wreck, he pleaded guilty and received a 10-year deferred sentence. He was supposed to have a guardian interlock device installed in his vehicle.

OHP officials said Maker had a strong smell of alcohol at the time of his arrest Saturday. He was treated at a hospital and taken to the Canadian County Jail.

His family declined to comment about the case, only saying, “he’s on his own.”

Jaques-Brown started a GoFundMe account to help pay for Carson’s funeral and help raise money for the two girls she leaves behind.

“She didn’t go anywhere without those kids, and they are beautiful girls. And they don’t have a mom now,” she said.

Huong is a foreign exchange student. Efforts are being made to help her family get a visa to come see her.